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Coach Juruni hails team progression as Silverbacks edge Rwanda in closely contested friendly

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The Ugandan senior men’s national basketball team staged a magnificent fourth-quarter comeback to edge out rivals Rwanda 68-65 in a high-octane friendly match, leaving head coach Mandy Juruni highly optimistic about the team’s upward trajectory.

Despite a sluggish start that saw Uganda trailing for the majority of the game, a masterclass final-quarter surge flipped the script.

The Silverbacks were staring down an 11-point deficit at halftime (29-40) and still trailed by 7 points heading into the final period. However, a defensive lock and a clinical 23-13 run in the fourth quarter sealed a hard-fought three-point victory.

Speaking after the game, Coach Juruni expressed immense satisfaction with the team’s growth, while maintaining a grounded perspective on the journey ahead.

“I’m pleased to see a lot of progress right from the start,” Juruni noted. “I’m happy with the work that we are putting in and we still have a lot of work to do. I really believe that we can just keep getting better. We can improve as a team.”

Juruni emphasised that these warm-up games are serving their exact purpose: exposing gaps that need plugging before official tournament action begins.

“The more we play together, the more we identify our weaknesses. We still have a lot more days to prepare as a team, so I’m optimistic that we will even be better.”

The post Coach Juruni hails team progression as Silverbacks edge Rwanda in closely contested friendly appeared first on Kawowo Sports.

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NLEX crushes Titan Ultra, stays unbeaten for solo PBA Group A lead

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ANTIPOLO — NLEX netted their third win in as many games after dealing Titan Ultra yet another disappointing loss, 135-100, to grab the solo lead in Group A of the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup on Tuesday at the Ynares Center here.

Not wanting a repeat of their near-collapse versus Terrafirma the last time out in Montalban, the Road Warriors played more consistently this time, building a big lead in the second chapter before breaking away for good in the fourth.

The crew actually lost in the third canto when they allowed the opposition to get as close as nine behind a 39-point production, but quickly restored order before the quarter ended, and then put it away not long after to keep their record intact.

Deschon Winston led NLEX with 30 points alongside nine rebounds and six assists, with Robert Bolick dropping 29 points and seven rebounds in easily his best game scoring-wise since Coach Jimmy Alapag took over.

Import DeQuan Jones finished with 22 points and six rebounds, while Kevin Alas tallid a 14-5-4 stat line to lead the bench mob in the victory.

The post NLEX crushes Titan Ultra, stays unbeaten for solo PBA Group A lead appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.

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NBBF Will Continue To Lubricate Fan Belts Of Talent Production In Nigeria – Musa Kida

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The president of Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF), Engineer Ahmad Kusa Kida has come out with a bold pledge that the governing body for the giants’ sport will continue ‘lubricating the fan belts of talent production’ to ensure that more players are produced for the future.

Sports247 reports that Engineer Kida gave the assurance while commenting on the recent feat of the country’s cadet men’s national team in winning the FIBA Africa Zone 3 U18 Championship in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Read Also: Engineer Ahmad Musa Kida Gets Excited With Array Of Basketball Talents Emerging Across Nigeria | Sports247 Nigeria

Kida was beaming with delight, after seeing the team win all four of their matches to top Zone 3 and secure automatic qualification for the finals, scheduled for August 3rd to 6th in Côte d’Ivoire, where they will play along with the country’s females, who earlier secured automatic qualification.

The U18 Tigers pulled off a perfect 4-0 record by defeating Benin Republic 96-35 and 101-43 as well as trouncing Burkina Faso 98-54 and 100-54 in their double-layered games to emerge champions of the sub-region and qualified for the Africa FIBA U18 Championship.

With attention now shifting to the continental assault, Kida revealed that the NBBF is already working hard to consolidate the results ahead of the 2026 U18 AfroBasket and gave credit to collective effort from every member of the federation’s board for the conquest in Ouagadougou.

“The NBBF shall continue to lubricate the fan belts of the talent production factories of the game in Nigeria,” Kida submitted, while pointing out that the current leadership of basketball in the country is prioritising efforts in grassroots development, without neglecting other aspects of the game.

The post NBBF Will Continue To Lubricate Fan Belts Of Talent Production In Nigeria – Musa Kida appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

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Joaquin Tovera finds home at La Salle, puts family above all

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Joaquin Tovera has found his new collegiate home.

Days after announcing his decommitment from the University of the Philippines, the reigning FIBA U18 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers Most Valuable Player has committed to De La Salle University, being eligible starting UAAP Season 89.

For the 18-year-old guard, the decision went beyond basketball.

“At the end of the day, family was the biggest reason behind my decision,” Tovera said.

“I’ve always been closest to the people who have supported me since day one, and knowing I’ll be in an environment where I can be near them gives me a lot of peace and confidence. That support system means everything to me, and I believe it will help me become a better player and an even better person.”

Tovera has deep connections with the Cortez family, having previously played alongside Mikey Cortez during their time with Tumakbo Basketball.

UAAP-89-Jacob-Cortez-x-Gregg-Rivera-x-Joaquin-Tovera-x-Mike-Cortez-x-Mikey-Cortez Joaquin Tovera finds home at La Salle, puts family above all Basketball DLSU News UAAP  - philippine sports news

(C) DLSU

The relationship extends beyond the court, with La Salle legend Mike Cortez being the cousin of Gregg Rivera, Tovera’s uncle, making the Green Archers a familiar environment for the young playmaker.

His commitment comes just days after he revealed that he was reopening his recruitment despite seeing action for the Fighting Maroons during the 2026 Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup.

During his brief stint with UP, Tovera contributed across three games, tallying six points, five assists, and two steals against De La Salle. He followed with seven points and three assists versus Far Eastern University, before making his first start against Mapua in the quarterfinals.

He also suited up for Gilas Pilipinas Boys in the same tournament, averaging 18.5 points and 7.0 assists per contest.

Now set to wear the green and white, Tovera is eager to begin the next chapter of his basketball journey.

“I’m really excited to join De La Salle University and become part of such a proud basketball program,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to learning from the coaches, competing with my new teammates, and doing everything I can to help us succeed. I can’t wait to get to work.”

Despite his move, Tovera stressed that he leaves UP with nothing but appreciation for the Fighting Maroons.

“I’ll always be grateful to UP for welcoming me into the program and believing in me,” he said.

“The coaches, my teammates, and everyone behind the team treated me with so much respect, and I’ll always appreciate the opportunity they gave me. I have nothing but gratitude for my time there and wish UP nothing but success moving forward.”

The post Joaquin Tovera finds home at La Salle, puts family above all appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.

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